6800GT causing problems

[Choupolo]

So I got my 6800GT today! Woo!....plugged it in to the mobo, plugged in the MOLEX plug, switched on my PC and after loading BIOS and everything it says:

"Insert a valid boot device" ...?

My hard drive light doesnt flash, and the BIOS doesnt recognise that the HD is there at all! So I try putting my 9800Pro back in, and it all works perfectly.

So why is the 6800GT stopping my hard drive from being recognised? :Oo:

I tried using a different SATA input on the mobo for the HD, and using MOLEX power instead of SATA with no change.

My IDE devices are working fine. The only thing I can think of is that the 6800GT is conflicting with the HD or SATA inputs somehow (I dunno how tho), or it needs more power than the 9800Pro did, restricting power for the HD. Anyone else had these kinds of troubles?? Google doesnt have any answers, nor does the manual. Seems a bit odd.... :(

Relevant Specs:
6800GT / 9800Pro AGP 256
Maxtor 120Gb SATA HD
Zalman 400W PSU (I read that 350W is the min requirement, unless I started OCing)
LG DVD IDE/Samsung CD IDE (also tried booting with these unplugged with no luck)
EDIT: P4P800 Deluxe mobo

Appreciate the help! :D

[SprigganX]

i really dunno... but clear your cmos.

[Choupolo]

Never done that before, how do I do that?

[SprigganX]

open your case up, if you got a motherboard manual look for clearing cmos in there, and it should tell you what to do.

[GM™]

Hmmm... your SATA controller may be confilcting with a DMQ or IRQ... This shouldn't happen in a modern system, however some BIOS default to ACPI/PNP off. Check these settings are enabled and also reset your PNP settings in BIOS.

If not then restore optimal BIOS settings, then last drastic measure is to reset the BIOS from the jumper.

[JMS]

the minimum power supply is 450W

[Choupolo]

Woo! Its fixed! I cleared the CMOS by leaving the mobo battery out for a while, and it booted perfectly after setting all the options in the BIOS again.

Thanks Sprig and everyone! That was pretty swift troubleshooting hehe B)

So I guess it must've been some conflicting BIOS setting left behind by the old 9800Pro like you said GM, and the BIOS reset allowed it to detect them from fresh.

Just installing Forceware 77.72s now! :D

Where dyu get the 450W info JMS? Im hoping i'll be able to overclock a little with my 400W (not straight away of course!). The manual says min 300W, somewhere else said min 350W. Manual also says OCing a PCI-e GT requires min 550W!

[JMS]

mine is a xfx nvidia 6800GT and its says on the specs on the bottom of the box

450W minimum for AGP and 500W minimum for PCI

even more if you want to overclock

*EDIT* i looked on the manufacturere site and the bastages may have conned me

box= min 450W
pdf manual from site = 300Wmin :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

[Choupolo]

Oh yea, so it does! :D I got XFX too, and it says 450W on the box but 300W in the manual hehe...works a treat tho, makes me sooo much better at Counter Strike :lol:

Some aspects of the image quality are different to my 9800. Sharper textures but more jaggies even at full AA. I'll get used to it tho...

[CpTn_lAw]

Hey there, my PNY 6800GT agp is cool too... and i do find the textures are sharper than on ATI cards, but AA isn't as powerful as on ATI. i prefer the colour on Nvidia cards... did you check the forceware options? you have a colour booster (it's called diferent) that gives you as you set it up some very deep colours. also, you can adjust image precision! I also find that the "lagging problem" is diferent concerning nvidia and ati.
For the PSU.....i've got 300W power supply, and it's sufficient to overclock it a 400/1150 mhz...
(Ther eis somehting i don't get... ==> 6800 GT @ ultra's speeds = more powerful than ultra.)

[Choupolo]

Yea the digital vibrance is a pretty cool option. And you dont get any problems at Ultra speeds on a 300W PSU? Thats pretty awesome. Gonna get myself an AC cooler first tho before I try. The fan's even noisier than the stock 9800 one! Keeps it cool tho (46 degrees idle)

I think the GT requires more power than the ultra cos the ultra's design is a little more refined and a bit more efficient, even tho it does the same job! Something to do with transistors and yields apparently. All goes over my head! :bucky!: :D

[SprigganX]

Originally posted by Choupolo@Jul 25 2005, 10:57 AM
Woo! Its fixed! I cleared the CMOS by leaving the mobo battery out for a while, and it booted perfectly after setting all the options in the BIOS again.

Thanks Sprig and everyone! That was pretty swift troubleshooting hehe B)

So I guess it must've been some conflicting BIOS setting left behind by the old 9800Pro like you said GM, and the BIOS reset allowed it to detect them from fresh.

Just installing Forceware 77.72s now! :D

Where dyu get the 450W info JMS? Im hoping i'll be able to overclock a little with my 400W (not straight away of course!). The manual says min 300W, somewhere else said min 350W. Manual also says OCing a PCI-e GT requires min 550W!
glad to hear they helped, and if i were you i would leave those "Official nvidia" drivers and go for Xg drivers (http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=67&Itemid=41&mosmsg=You+are+trying+to+access+from+a+non-authorized+domain.+%28www.laptoplogic.com%29) and get the 77.62 t3, they're badass, so if they come out with a 77.76 get em =P

[Choupolo]

Dling them now. Thanks for the tip! :D

[SprigganX]

Originally posted by Choupolo@Jul 25 2005, 04:23 PM
Dling them now. Thanks for the tip! :D
np

[JMS]

does that mean i can use mine without buying another PSU?
my current power is only 400W

[Choupolo]

Seems so. I'll let you know if mine pops hehe. Cptn_law seems to be ok tho! :D